The convicted killer said he anticipated the charges pending against him in Delaware Circuit Court 3 would be dismissed at a Nov. 5 hearing “based on new evidence.”

That prompted a probation officer to tell Dowling that if the pending charges are dropped, she would withdraw the request to revoke Adams’s probation in the murder case.

Deputy prosecutors Andrew Ramirez, who represented the state at Monday’s hearing, and Maricel Skiles, who oversees the Circuit Court 3 case, later told The Star Press they were unaware of any plans to dismiss those charges.

When he was pulled over Aug. 20 in a truck he had purportedly stolen, authorities said, Adams had three plastic bags containing meth, and a syringe, in his pockets. A narcotic medication and 10 more syringes were found in the truck, according to an affidavit.

At Monday’s hearing, Judge Dowling discussed the possibility of releasing Adams to house arrest.

Delaware County Community Corrections officials had earlier said Adams was no longer considered a good candidate to participate in that program, but a DCCC official told the judge they would accept the Eaton man at Dowling’s request.

However, the judge eventually decided to leave the $10,000 bond in place until space becomes available for Adams at an inpatient drug treatment facility in Richmond.

Adams became emotional when Dowling asked him whether he was in need of inpatient treatment for substance abuse issues.

“Maybe,” he responded after several seconds of silence.

“The most important thing right now is to get you the treatment that you need,” the judge said.

Before he could begin that treatment program, however, Adams would have to resolve bond-related issues in the Circuit Court 3 case, and probation revocation proceedings in Madison County, where he was convicted of attempted escape in 1996.

Adams’ probation in the Madison County case was apparently not set to begin until he had completed the probation stemming from his murder conviction in December.

Adams on Monday expressed confusion when told about a related Madison County warrant for for his arrest issued last week.

“I haven’t started their probation yet,” he said.

During Monday’s hearing, Deputy Prosecutor Ramirez told Dowling he objected to releasing Adams before the revocation proceedings in her case are resolved.

“This court gave the defendant a chance to prove himself,” Ramirez said.

Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.